Assembly criticised over MPs’ immunity

During an otherwise routine National Assembly session to make amendments to the Senate Election Law, opposition lawmaker Son Chhay yesterday took the opportunity to criticise the assembly for not adhering to immunity laws after the arrests and convictions of lawmakers Um Sam An and Senator Hong Sok Hour.

Sam An and Sok Hour are serving two-and-a-half- and seven-year sentences, respectively, for Facebook posts accusing the government of ceding land to Vietnam. Their legal immunity was deemed by the government to not apply because they had been caught “in the act” of committing a crime.

“We cannot say all what he [Hong Sok Hour] expressed was right but we have to . . . make sure that immunity should be protected,” Chhay said.

Cambodian People’s Party lawmaker Chheang Vun was quick to rebut, calling the duo’s actions racist and an attempt to divide Cambodian society.

“His Excellency [Son Chhay] has to understand that the action [against] them is according to the law. If you have immunity it does not mean you can do anything,” Vun said.

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